Each political party, in such parliamentary declarations, seeks to get the advantage of the other and each is in the habit of overrating the importance of expressions in this form.
They are diligently contrived for catches and committals to be subsequently used in political campaigns, but it may well be doubted whether they ever produce substantial effect upon legislation or prove either gainful or hurtful in partisan contests.

The practice is somewhat below the dignity of a legislative body, has never been resorted to in the Senate and might with great advantage be abandoned by the House.
The debate on Reconstruction, perhaps the longest in the history of National legislation, was formally opened by Mr.Thaddeus Stevens on the 18th of December (1865).

He took the most radical and pronounced ground touching the relation to the National Government of the States lately in rebellion.

He contended that "there are two provisions in the Constitution, under one of which the case must fall." The Fourth Article says that "new States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union." "In my judgment," said Mr.Stevens, "this is the controlling provision in this case.

Unless the law of Nations is a dead letter, the late war between the two acknowledged belligerents severed their original contracts and broke all the ties that bound them together.
The future condition of the conquered power depends on the will of the conqueror.